FBI warns sports leagues about organized theft groups targeting athletes: Reports

The FBI has issued a warning to sports leagues regarding organized theft groups targeting athletes after a spate of burglaries at the homes of professional athletes in recent months, according to multiple reports Monday.

The report follows similar security warnings the NFL and NBA issued to teams in November, with the NBA’s memo saying its security department received a briefing from the FBI “that connected many of the home burglaries to transnational South American Theft Groups (SATGs).”

“These SATGs are reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices,” the NBA’s November memo said.

The FBI’s Liaison Information Report said that the theft groups also use publicly available information to track athletes and their whereabouts and to “bypass alarm systems, use Wi-Fi jammers to block Wi-Fi connections and disable devices, cover security cameras, and obfuscate their identities,” per ABC News.

News of the FBI’s report came three days after the home of Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić was burglarized Friday. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Dončić was “doing fine” after the incident. Dončić’s business manager told multiple outlets that no one was home at the time of the break-in and that an investigation is ongoing. Jewelry valued at around $30,000 was taken from the home, per The Dallas Morning News, which obtained an internal police report.

Since September, multiple other athletes have had their homes burglarized, including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr.

The FBI encouraged athletes to report suspicious activity, maintain records of their valuables, add additional security to their homes and use caution about information they share on social media, the report said.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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(Photo of Luka Dončić: Ron Jenkins / Getty Images)